Volume 31… Number 21, May 27, 2025
STORIES COVERED
In This Issue:
- Bipartisan Legislation Would Modernize Merchant Mariner Credential Exam
- FMC to Investigate Impact on US Shipping of Flags of Convenience, Open Registries
- Police in Norway Arrest Officer of the Watch After Ship Runs Aground in a Garden
- New Global Minimum Wage Set for International Seafarers
- NWS Seeks Comments on Plan to Eliminate Condensed Versions of Marine Forecasts
- GPS Spoofing: Vessel Tracking Services Show MSC Containership Grounded in Sahara Desert
- Plus: Please Respond to a Survey on Work-Life Balance in Maritime
- Dental, Vision, Hearing: Union Plus Can Help Family Members Who Lack Coverage for Ancillary Health Care Needs
Job Opportunities:
And:
BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION WOULD MODERNIZE MERCHANT MARINER CREDENTIAL EXAM
A bill that has been introduced in the House of Representatives would overhaul the Coast Guard credentialing exam in favor of a new and more streamlined process that also addresses emerging issues such as cybersecurity.
Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) and Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) are cosponsors of the legislation, The Mariner Exam Modernization Act.
Ezell is chair of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee and Carbajal is the subcommittee’s ranking member.
They have called the current Coast Guard licensing exam process “outdated, redundant, and unnecessarily burdensome for aspiring mariners… in particular because candidates must repeatedly demonstrate the same competencies, first through years of hands-on assessments and then again on a seven-part written exam.”
Besides discouraging aspiring mariners, they say, the current process is diverting time from more relevant modern training, like cybersecurity, and leaves industry entrants underprepared for the realities of today’s maritime industry.
“The men and women pursuing careers in the maritime industry shouldn’t be held back by an antiquated credentialing system,” Carbajal says.
“This legislation is about strengthening our maritime workforce and ensuring the Coast Guard’s processes keep pace with the needs of the 21st century.”
“Our mariners deserve a credentialing system that reflects the realities of today’s maritime industry—not outdated exams and unnecessary hurdles,” Ezell says.
“This is about building up America’s maritime workforce and supporting the professionals who keep America’s maritime commerce moving safely and efficiently.”
If it is passed by Congress, The Merchant Marine Exam Modernization Act would direct the Coast Guard to develop and implement a plan to modernize the Merchant Mariner Credentialing exam.
The legislation calls for the formation of a dedicated working group and requires the Coast Guard to act on the working group’s recommendations within 270 days of receiving them.
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MC TO INVESTIGATE IMPACT ON US SHIPPING OF FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE, OPEN REGISTRIES
The Federal Maritime Commission has opened an investigation into whether the vessel flagging laws, regulations, or practices of foreign governments create shipping conditions that have a negative impact on US foreign trade.
According to a statement that appeared on its website, the agency said it is especially concerned with countries engaging in “a race to the bottom,” in which registries compete to gain a competitive edge by lowering standards and loosening compliance requirements.
In a notice that appeared in the May 22 Federal Register to coincide with National Maritime Day, the FMC said that some nations are competing to lower the cost of registering and flagging ships “beyond the point where they can ensure the efficiency, reliability, and safety of vessels.”
“By offering to register and flag vessels with little or no oversight or regulation, countries may compete against one another to gain revenue from the associated fees and to minimize the expenses associated with inspecting vessels and ensuring compliance with appropriate maintenance and safety requirements,” the notice said.
“As the [International Maritime Organization] lacks the authority to enforce vessel registry standards or penalize non-compliant nations, its efforts are unlikely to serve as an effective deterrent or bring about meaningful change to curb abuses.”
“A comprehensive and enforceable approach is needed.”
The investigation begins with a 90-day public comment period.
The commission is seeking examples of flagging laws, regulations, and practices that endanger the efficiency and reliability of the ocean shipping supply chain.
It said it is particularly interested in comments from individuals and organizations with expertise or experience in vessel operations, international trade, international law, and national security.
Examples include shipowners, shipping companies, shippers, unions, governments, international organizations and standards-setting bodies.
The deadline for submitting comments is Aug. 20.
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POLICE IN NORWAY ARREST OFFICER OF THE WATCH AFTER SHIP RUNS AGROUND IN A GARDEN
The second officer of a Cyprus-flagged feeder ship that grounded in a garden in Byneset, Norway, on May 22, has been placed under arrest, police said.
He told the authorities that he had been alone in the wheelhouse and had fallen asleep.
Nobody was injured in the accident.
The owner of the house and garden said that there were 16 men aboard the ship, the NCL SALTEN, including a Norwegian captain and a crew of Russians and Ukrainians.
He said he had spoken with them, shouting from his yard up to the ship to find out whether anyone was hurt.
He added that there had been no discussion of the accident.
According to its AIS signal, the ship entered the Trøndheim fjord at a speed of 16 knots and proceeded straight in the direction of the garden and adjacent home.
The second officer, a citizen of Ukraine, has been charged with “negligent navigation.”
The authorities have reported that they are looking at whether work and rest hour requirements had been adhered to aboard the vessel and whether the bridge was manned in accordance with applicable regulations.
“It does happen, but it’s not something that should happen,” a police spokesperson said.
“We have regulations that are supposed to create barriers and prevent ships from running aground because someone falls asleep.”
As is standard practice, he said, the captain has been named a person of interest in the case.
He added, however, “we have no grounds to suspect either the captain or the shipping company.”
Efforts to refloat the ship have so far been unsuccessful.
NEW GLOBAL MINIMUM WAGE SET FOR INTERNATIONAL SEAFARERS
The International Labor Organization has concluded the most recent round of minimum wage negotiations for able seafarers.
The 2006 Maritime Labor Convention requires that the minimum monthly basic wage for an able seafarer be set periodically by the ILO Joint Maritime Commission Subcommittee on Seafarers Wages.
The updated minimum monthly wage levels are:
— US$690 as of Jan. 1, 2026;
— US$704 as of Jan. 1, 2027; and
— US$715 as of Jan. 1, 2028.
The new wage structure builds on the previous three-year agreement, which was concluded in September 2022 and set the minimum as of Jan. 1, 2025, at US$673.
The updated levels must be submitted for approval to the ILO Governing Body in November of this year.
“Seafarers are crucial in delivering 90 percent of all goods for people in every nation of the world,” said Mark Dickinson, spokesperson for the ITF Seafarers Group and director of the Nautilus Federation.
“We made an important breakthrough with the recognition of seafarers’ key worker status.”
“Now we have taken a further step to improve their welfare through pay rises that both retain and increase the value of the ILO AB minimum wage, taking into account increases in the cost of living since 2022.”
“Seafarers play an indispensable role in keeping world trade flowing, often under tough and unpredictable conditions,” said Pål Tangen, spokesperson of the Shipowners Group and representative of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association.
“These are not ordinary times, and this resolution reflects our respect for their service, while ensuring that shipowners can continue to operate in a highly competitive and volatile global market.”
The recent negotiations took place against the backdrop of global trade tensions, with both sides expressing concerns that shipping could be caught in the crosshairs of a potential full-scale trade war, with negative impacts on the lives of the world’s nearly two million seafarers.
“Seafarers must not be collateral victims of global economic conflict,” they said.
“Fair trade must also mean fair treatment for those who keep global trade moving.”
MM&P is an affiliate of the ITF and one of the 22 maritime labor unions that belong to the Nautilus Federation.
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NWS SEEKS COMMENTS ON PLAN TO ELIMINATE CONDENSED VERSIONS OF MARINE FORECASTS
The National Weather Service is accepting public comments through June 25 on the proposed discontinuation of the condensed versions of offshore marine forecast products.
These condensed products are provided to the Coast Guard for broadcast over their HF radio transmitters, commonly referred to as High Frequency Voice Broadcasts (HF VOBRA).
The NWS Ocean Prediction Center and the National Hurricane Center prepare and disseminate these text products.
They do not broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) transmitters, only via HF radio stations operated by the Coast Guard.
No change is being proposed to NWS marine forecast products that are broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio.
No other changes are being considered for the Offshore Waters Forecasts (OFF), High Seas Forecast (HSF), or NAVTEX products.
Here is the complete Public Information Statement: https://www.weather.gov/media/notification/pdf_2025/pns25-33_vobra_discontinuation_2025.pdf.
You can provide feedback to the NWS Marine Program Lead at: marine.weather@noaa.gov or to Chris Landsea at chris.landsea@noaa.gov
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VESSEL TRACKING SERVICES SHOW MSC CONTAINERSHIP GROUNDED IN SAHARA DESERT
The MSC ANTONIA, which grounded on a reef near Eliza Shoals close to Jeddah Port on May 10, has reappeared since then on various vessel tracking services at locations that include the eastern region of the Sahara Desert and a road leading to an airport in South Sudan.
GPS spoofing has been widely cited as the cause of the vessel grounding in the first place.
Since then, the ship has appeared on various vessel tracking sites in such disparate locations as the opposite side of the Red Sea and 250 km from the nearest shoreline in the Nubian Desert.
MSC ANTONIA has become “a visual example of the increased GPS spoofing that ship operators are having to contend with when transiting the Red Sea,” writes Sam Chambers in Splash/247.
Maritime security specialists have noted a marked increase in GPS interference in conflict zones and are warning that such disruptions will likely increase.
“A continuation of such disruptions in future conflicts is highly likely and will increase the navigational risks to commercial shipping,” says Dan Mueller, senior Middle East analyst at maritime security firm Ambrey.
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PLEASE RESPOND TO A SURVEY ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE IN MARITIME
The World Maritime University (WMU) is calling on all mariners currently working on any commercial ship or who have worked on such ships during or after 2013 to participate in a survey on work-related aspects, psychological well-being, and career intentions.
WMU is conducting the survey in collaboration with MM&P and MEBA.
The insights gathered will help the maritime community consider improvements.
The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete, and all responses will remain completely anonymous.
Please share the link to the survey with other mariners in your network and encourage them to fill it out.
The deadline to complete the survey is June 30, 2025.
Follow the link to complete the survey or paste this URL into your browser:
https://wmuhq.questionpro.eu/seafarersworklifebalancesurvey
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UNION PLUS CAN HELP FAMILY MEMBERS WHO LACK COVERAGE FOR ANCILLARY HEALTH CARE NEEDS
Union Plus can help union members and members of their families who lack insurance coverage for some ancillary services to save on out-of-pocket costs for vision care, hearing care and dental care.
All union members, union retirees, their spouses, children, partners or surviving spouses and partners are eligible for these programs.
Vision Care
The provider for Union Plus vision discount plans—which may be of interest to Continuation of Coverage pensioners—is VSP Vision Care.
VSP is the only national not-for-profit company in vision care.
It has more than 88 million members worldwide, including plans with millions of union members.
VSP has the largest independent eye care provider network in the US, with over 36,000 providers, including 700 Visionworks retail locations.
Hearing Care
MM&P H&B retirees have coverage for hearing care. But some retirees may be interested in looking into the Union Plus hearing care program, which is offered by Amplifon Hearing Health Care, because it also includes coverage for union members’ parents.
Dental Care
The provider for Union Plus dental discount plans is Careington International, which offers a plan with a dental discount.
[Note that only the dental discount plan would potentially be of interest to MM&P H&B pensioners; a second dental plan offered by Careington offers coverage that MM&P H&B pensioners already have (for podiatry, chiropractic and alternative care, and diabetes and medical supplies).]
Visit UnionPlus.org for more information.
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AMG Jobs
Buchanan is looking for two Mates with a Mate of Towing in Inland Waters Endorsement.
If you are interested, please fill out an application on the company’s website Buchanan Marine LP. Click on “Careers” and scroll down to “Apply Online.”
If you have questions, please send an email to: ptrzepacz@bridegeck.org.
Reinauer Transportation is looking for a Mate with a 500 Ton license with a near coastal and TOAR.
If you have questions, please contact Keith Poissant at 973-420-0492 or kpoissant@bridgedeck.org
Staten Island Ferry is looking for Provisional Marine Oilers with their QMED.
If you are interested, please fill out an application with the attached link
https://cityjobs.nyc.gov/job/marine-oiler-in-staten-island-jid-27357
If you have questions, please send an email to: Aturzio@bridegeck.org
Statue City Cruises is looking for Deckhands, and Mates and Captains with a 100-ton license.
If you are interested, please fill out an application on the company’s website Statue of Liberty Tickets & Tour Experiences – Statue City Cruises.
Click on “Careers” on the bottom right.
Once you do that, please contact Paulina at ptrzepacz@bridgedeck.org.
OFFSHORE JOBS
LMSR positions available.
ROS CM jobs: pensioners with valid credentials wanted.
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MITAGS ACADEMIC NOTES
For registration contact our Admissions Department: 866.656.5568 or admissions@mitags.org
Classes are 5-day unless otherwise noted
Class dates followed by an * are full
AB – Able Seaman (5-Day): 09/22/25
ARPA-OIC– Automated Radar Plotting Aids (4-Day): Not currently scheduled
AZIPOD (2-Day): Not currently scheduled
BRM – Bridge Resource Management (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
BRMP-EMR –Bridge Resource Management for Pilots with Emergency Shiphandling – (Now also included in BRMP-Refresher) (3-Day): 10/20/25
BT – Basic Safety Training (5-Day): 09/08/25
BT-Revalidation (2-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years): 06/09/25, 09/22/25, 10/20/25, 11/12/25
BT-Refresher (3-day): 09/22/25
CHS-OIC – Cargo Handling Basic (5-Day): Not Currently scheduled
[CMM – Chief Mate and Master Courses]
ADVSTB – Advanced Stability (5-Day): 06/09/25, 08/04/25, 10/13/25, 12/08/25
ADVWX – Advanced Meteorology (5-Day): 06/02/25, 07/28/25, 12/01/25
CHS-CMM – Advanced Cargo Operations (10 Days): Not Currently Scheduled
CM-OPS 1 – Chief Mate Operations (5-Day): 08/18/25, 10/20/25
CM-OPS 2 Maersk – Chief Mate Operations II Maersk Specific (5-Day): 8/25/25, 10/27/25
ECDIS – Electronic Chart Display Information Systems (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
LMS – Leadership and Managerial Skills (5-Day): 06/23/25, 10/06/25, 12/15/25
MPP-CMM – Marine Propulsion Plants (5-Day): 09/15/25
(DCS-1 available on request – contact Admissions)
SHMGT-CMM- Ship Management (5-Day): 09/22/25
SHS-ADV-I-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 1) (5-Day): 06/09/25, 07/14/25*, 08/11/25, 09/15/25, 10/06/25, 11/03/25, 12/01/25
SHS-ADV-II-CMM – Advanced Shiphandling (week 2) (5-Day): 06/16/25, 07/21/25, 08/18/25, 09/22/25, 10/13/25, 11/10/25, 12/05/25
VPEN-CMM – Voyage Planning & Electronic Navigation (5-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
WKP-CMM – Advanced Watchkeeping (5-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
WX-HW-PAC – Heavy Weather Avoidance Routing: Pacific Ocean (2-day): 08/02/25
CIW-DPA/IA – Continual Improvement Workshop: Designated Person Ashore & Internal Auditor (3-Day) ** This course is NOT covered by the MATES Program **Online: Not Currently Scheduled
CNAV-OIC– Celestial Navigation (15-Day): Not currently scheduled
DDE – Great Lakes (20-Day): Not currently scheduled
ECDIS for Pilots (2-Day): Not currently scheduled
FF-ADV – Advanced Firefighting (4-day): Not currently scheduled
FF-BADV – Fire Fighting Combined Basic & Advanced (5-Day): 09/08/25
FF-ADV-Rev (1-day) (Must have 1 year of sea service in last 5 years) – Advanced Fire Fighting Revalidation: 06/11/25, 09/24/25, 11/22/25, 11/14/25
FF-ADV-REF (2-day) – Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher: 09/18/25, 11/10/25
FSM – Fatigue, Sleep, & Medications (1-Day): Not currently scheduled
GL-Pilot – Great Lakes Pilotage Familiarization (2-Day): Not currently scheduled
GMDSS – Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (10-Day): Not currently scheduled
HAZ – Hazardous Materials (5 day): 07/21/25
LAP – License Advancement Program for Mate to Master (20-Day): 07/21/25
LAP-Great Lakes – License Advancement Program – Great Lakes (15-Day): Not currently scheduled
LAP-ORG3rd – License Advancement Program for Original 3rd Mate, Oceans, Any-Gross -Ton License (15-Day): 06/03/25
LEG – Legal Aspects of Pilotage (1-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
LNG-BADV – Basic and Advanced IGF Code Operations (3 Day): 06/04/25*, 08/18/25*, 08/21/25, 10/01/25, 10/15/25, 12/15/25
LTS –Leadership and Teamworking Skills (Formerly MCL-OIC) (1-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
MEECE – Management of Electrical and Electronic Control Equipment (Assessments /not included): Not Currently Scheduled
MED-PIC – Medical Person in Charge (10-Day): 05/12/25, 07/07/25, 10/06/25, 10/17/25
MED-PIC-REF– Medical Person in Charge Refresher: 08/04/25
MED-PRO – Medical Care Provider: (5-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
MED-DOT-DA – Dept. of Transportation Drug & Alcohol Testing (1-Day): 05/17/25, 07/12/25, 08/09/25, 10/11/25, 11/16/25, 12/13/25
[MSC – Military Sealift Command Courses]
MSC-ATO-II – Military Sealift Command Anti-Terrorism Officer II (MSC-ATO-III included) (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
MSC-CBRD-OFF – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Officer (5-Day): Not currently scheduled
MSC-CBRD-1 – Military Sealift Command Chemical, Biological, Radiological Defense Orientation (Basic) (1-Day): 06/12/25, 08/07/25, 09/11/25
MSC-DC – Military Sealift Command Damage Control (2-day): 06/13/25, 08/08/25, 09/12/25
MSC-ENVPRO (1-Day – Evening Class): 08/10/25, 09/14/25
MSC-SMA – Military Sealift Command Small Arms Qualifications (4-Day): 06/16/25, 08/11/25, 09/15/25
MSC-Security Watch Basic (1-Day/ 8-hour): 06/14/25, 08/09/25, 09/13/25
MSC-Security Watch Advanced (1-Day): 06/15/25, 08/10/25, 09/14/25
MSC-Ship’s Reaction Force (3-Day): 06/20/25, 08/15/25, 09/19/25
NSAP-MMP – Navigational Skills Assessment Program-MM&P (2-Day): 04/29/25*, 05/01/25*, 07/08/25*, 07/10/25*, 08/26/25*, 08/28/25*, 09/30/25*, 10/02/25, 12/02/25, 12/04/25
PSC – Personal Survival Craft (Lifeboatman) (5-Day): 09/15/25
PSC-REF – Personal Survival Craft Refresher (2-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
Qualified Assessor (Online): Contact Admissions
RFPNW – Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (3-day): Not Currently Scheduled
ROR-1N – Radar Observer Renewal Evening Classes (1-Night): 09/24/25, 11/11/25
ROU-OIC – Radar Observer Unlimited: Not currently scheduled
SAR – Search & Rescue (3-Day): Not Currently Scheduled
SHS-BAS-OIC – Basic Shiphandling: Not Currently Scheduled
SHS-EMR5 – Emergency Shiphandling (5 Day): 06/23/25, 07/28/25, 09/08/25
STB-OIC – Ship Construction and Basic Stability: Not currently scheduled
TCNAV/CO – Terrestrial Navigation and Compasses (15-Day): 07/28/25
TPIC – Tankerman Person in Charge: Not currently scheduled
TTT – ** NOT covered by the MATES Program: Not currently scheduled
VSO – Vessel Security Officer (3-Day): 08/18/25
WKP-OIC – Watchkeeping (Operational Level) (10-Day): 09/15/25
WX-OIC –Meteorology (Operational Level): Not currently scheduled
Back to Stories Covered
MITAGS–WEST ACADEMIC NOTES
2024 Fall/Winter
SCHEDULE OF COURSES – (Please also see our schedule and enroll online at www.mitags.org)
FOR REGISTRATION CONTACT OUR ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT 866.656.5568 OR admissions@mitags.org
June 2025
2-6 Radar Observer Unlimited
2-6 Leadership & Managerial Skills
2-6 Basic Training
9-13 Med PIC Refresher
9-13 Advanced Shiphandling I
16-17 Basic Training Revalidation
16-20 Advanced Shiphandling II
18th Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
23-26 Advanced Firefighting
23-27 Advanced Stability
The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly is the official electronic newsletter of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, 700 Maritime Blvd., Suite B, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090-1953. Phone: 410-850-8700; Fax: 410-850-0973. All rights reserved. The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly©2023. Articles can be reprinted without prior permission if credit is given to The MM&P Wheelhouse Weekly.
For subscriptions, address changes or messages to the editor, send an email to communications@bridgedeck.org.
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